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Norovirus: a possible cause of pneumatosis intestinalis

Mi Jin Kim1, Yae-Jean Kim, Ji Hyuk Lee

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea.

Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
|December 15, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Norovirus infection may cause pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) in children, particularly those who are immunocompromised. This study identified norovirus in four pediatric patients with PI, suggesting a potential link between this viral infection and the condition.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Virology

Background:

  • Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) in children is often linked to conditions such as immunosuppression, trauma, and gastrointestinal infections.
  • Previous studies have not reported a connection between norovirus infection and PI.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential association between norovirus infection and the development of pneumatosis intestinalis in pediatric patients.
  • To identify pathogens in children diagnosed with PI.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective review of pediatric patients (older than 30 days) with PI from March 2005 to April 2009.
  • Utilized reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for viral stool examinations since December 2008.

Main Results:

  • Twenty-seven pediatric patients with PI were identified; 17 (63.0%) were immunocompromised.
  • Norovirus (genotype GII-4) was detected in 4 out of 5 immunocompromised patients tested since December 2008, predominantly during the cold season.
  • Twenty-four patients (88.9%) survived; no deaths were associated with norovirus or rotavirus infections.

Conclusions:

  • Norovirus infection is a potential contributing factor to pneumatosis intestinalis in immunocompromised children.
  • Further research is warranted to confirm the causal relationship between norovirus and PI.
Abstract

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